Re-enactors show true face of war

Marian students get close-up history lesson

Marian students get close-up history lesson

November 29, 2006|VIRGINIA RANSBOTTOM Tribune Staff Writer

Although the 21st Indiana Light Artillery Civil War re-enactors didn't fire the cannon, history students still got a pretty good feel of how dangerous the weapon was. About 200 juniors from Marian High School history classes were transported to a time when there were only 34 stars on the American flag and the states were at war. Students helped Capt. Steve "Ziggy" Pairitz simulate loading, firing and cleaning the howitzer cannon, all under pressure of being on a battlefield where combat was fought only if the enemy was in sight. Cpt. Pairitz, the commanding officer of the unit, said soldiers could fire three rounds in a minute or four to five rounds if they skipped some of the safety procedures. "But that was dangerous," he said. "You could lose a hand or arm if the barrel wasn't clear of sparks for the next round." Two soldiers would serve as a human shield while loading the cannon's artillery. "It was the only time you turned your back to the enemy," Pairitz said. The ammunition -- a canister full of 156 mini balls -- could hit a target 250 yards away, destroying a swatch of enemy soldiers 25 yards wide and four rows deep (or about 300 men). At Gettysburg, Pairitz said six artillery pieces were double loaded with canisters and fired from a distance of 10 yards. What was left was smoke and red mist. Jeffrey Meuninck, a 30-year re-enactor, gave insight to why soldiers wore and carried what they did and included some of the social aspects. Dressed in a dark blue wool uniform meant Meuninck was an active soldier. "You'd wear a cotton under top, shirt, vest and suspenders and without the vest you'd be considered naked," Meuninck said. "And if you talked to a woman like that you'd be beaten over the head." Meuninck said in the 1860s women were escorted. "If you tipped your hat to a married woman, you'd be challenged to a duel and shot." Re-enactor Chris Pich wore a sky blue wool uniform which meant he was in the Invalid Corp. The IC wanted to serve but were not physically able. The Veteran's Reserve, as it was later coined, served as a support group, cooking or wagoneering. "They'd take a man with one arm as long it was the right arm," Pich said. Students found his shoes particularly funny. With no left or right shoes, shoes were shaped like a box and rotated each day. "It was during the war they realized the need for left and right shoes," Pich said. "War is crummy but it speeds up technology." Pich also said that half of the Confederates had no shoes and went barefoot. Student Elizabeth Higginbotham said the re-enactment was really interesting to actually see what the soldiers went through. "It helped me understand how hard it was," she said. "In a book you don't think about that. You just think 'war' with out understanding what it's really like." History teacher Steve Rethlake has been treating students to the re-enactment for the past few years. "It's more interesting than just dates and facts," he said. The re-enactors commanding officer is no stranger to Rethlake. Pairitz was one of Rethlake's history students. Alongside his father, Pairitz gave a Civil War presentation when he was a student. Another family member has also joined the act. Marian science teacher Teresa Pairitz is the captain's wife. Teresa takes 25 minutes to get into costume. She starts with a corset, shimmies, pantalets, a Zouave-style dress with a five bone hoop, a walking cape and bonnet. "These re-enactors have put years of research into this to make their stories, uniforms and weapons authentic," Rethlake said. The 21st Indiana Light Artillery unit was also authentic, forming in 1862. The soldiers were from St. Joseph, Fulton, Elkhart, LaPorte, Marshall, Jackson, Cass and Miami counties. After heading to Kentucky from Indianapolis, they fought in many major battles. "Showing the history of the time come alive makes students appreciate more what people have done for the country," Rethlake said. Staff writer Virginia Ransbottom: vransbottom@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6344